Of Love & Lies
by something.happening.somewhere
Summary: As sixteen year old Emilie Knight transfers to Hogwarts, an ominous tension grows ever-stronger throughout the magical community. The once-naive Marauders & Company have no intention of letting it continue as they prepare to break out of the Hogwarts Bubble. You know how it all ends, but this is the story of the gradual beginning, fraught with love, lies, and heartbreaking loss.
1. Chapter One

A brief introduction:

Greetings!

This is the prequel I've been waiting for JKR to write since the last HP cook. Granted, I'll never match her standard, but I'll try anyway. So! Basically, it's a marauders era fic with an OC. I know, I know. Ew, an OC ~~

But seriously, I'm trying to make everything pretty cannon. I have bits and pieces of the whole thing written, so sorting through it all will be a long process, but I HAVE chapters one and two!

I think that's all I have to say, so please enjoy!

(And I mean if you want to, y'know, comment or something... that'd be swell.)

oOo  
Emilie Knight

oOo

"Go on, Liz. Just step through."

"But its a wall."

"Lisette," I laughed, "Just do it. I'll be right behind you."

She bit her lip, clutching her backpack. I gave her my best I'm-your-older-sister, I've-never-led-you-astray-before look. She held out her hand for me to take. I smiled and obliged.

"Okay, let's go." I walked casually towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Lisette looked up at me once more and I winked at her before leaning on the barrier.

We stepped through together onto Platform 9 ¾. I was just as awed as my sister by the sheer size of the station. The Hogwarts train, shining red, was whistling its last call and brought my attention back to my sister.

"It's time to get on the train. See them, over there? I think they're first years. Go say hello."

"But, Em," She protested, panicking. "Can't I stay with you?"

I smiled, "Go. I'll see you soon, but for now, make some friends in your year. I'm going to go talk to Dumbledore when we get there, but I might see you after dinner. I'm sorry I'll miss your sorting, but you'll be fine. Just let the Hat decide."

"What about you? You've never been sorted either, right?"

"But I'm not a first year," I tapped her nose. "Don't you worry about me, I'm sure Dumbledore has a plan."

"But, Em," she whispered, "What if they don't put me in Slytherin? What if I'm not good enough for Slytherin? Daddy will…"

"Father won't be able to do anything about it. I'll take care of it. Besides," I leaned in conspiratorially, "You're far too good for Slytherin."

She grinned and nodded. I ruffled her hair before taking her trunk up into the train for her. "Be good. I'll see you soon, love." I kissed her forehead and watched as she skipped off towards a group of girls her age.

"What a good big sister you are," A greasy voice echoed from behind me and I stiffened. Composing myself, I turned.

"Lucious. A pleasure, as always."

"On the contrary, the pleasure is mine. I didn't know you were attending Hogwarts this year."

"Yes, when Lisette got her letter, Father gave me permission as well. There isn't much more for me to learn from books alone, after all."

"I see. Do you know which house you will be placed in?"

"I'm not sure," I said uneasily. "No one really knows where they will be placed, Lucious."

"Well, I know what my fingers are crossed for. Are you looking for a compartment?"

"Not yet. But maybe I'll find you later," I lied. His smile hardened.

"Please do. I wouldn't want you to be stuck with… lesser company."

I made my exit quickly and jumped back onto the platform, shaking off the shivers. Lucious Malfoy's parents were close to my father, so I knew him all too well. He was sly and cruel, and most importantly, his bloodline was as pure as ours; everything my father liked in a potential suitor.

Although I had no intention of bowing to my father's will in that matter, I also had very little room to disobey as long as Lisette was still living under his roof. That was, after all, the reason I had refused to attend a boarding school for so many years. Without me around to take the brunt of Father's anger and control-freakery, Lisette might have had to endure it. I shuddered at the thought; Lisette was so innocent, it was terrible to imagine the effect he would have on her.

I picked up the cage that enclosed my owl. He was a light brown horned owl, with big yellow eyes… I called him Pyxis; he was a gift from the Potters. Mrs. Potter had been a friend of my mother's from Hogwarts; after she died, Mrs. Potter always made a point of inviting Lisette and I over for dinner. She knew that our parents marriage was arranged, and my guess is that she knew enough about my father to understand some of our situation, even though I never told her anything.

He seemed to think so as well; he had put a stop to our visits a long time ago. I still kept in touch with them via mail, though; hence, the owl.

I reached for my trunk as well, but it disappeared just before I closed my hand around the handle. I looked up, surprised.

"Hey! I've been looking for you!"

I broke into a grin. "James!" He bear hugged me with his free arm; I winced, but I was so glad to see him I couldn't bring myself to push him away.

"I haven't seen you in so long, I almost didn't recognize you," He laughed, releasing me. "You've gotten all girly - when did that happen?"

"So rude!" I exclaimed, "I didn't ask you when you stopped sounding like my sister, did I?"

"Ouch," He clutched his heart. "You're words are like knives, Emilie!"

I smirked and held out my hand. "Truce?"

He shook on it and then hugged me again. "I'm so glad you're here. We haven't heard from in so long; we were worried."

I avoided his eyes. "It couldn't be helped. I'm sorry for troubling you."

"Em, I've been meaning to ask for a while, but-"

I never got to hear his theory; he was cut off by the train whistle. While we were catching up, just about all of the students had gotten onto the train, leaving us behind. I checked my watch; we were going to miss the train if we didn't hurry.

"C'mon," he grinned as he dragged me by my hand to the door. Just as he clambered in after me, the doors shut behind us. "That was close."

I agreed. "I'll take that; you don't have to carry it for me."

"And what kind of gentleman would that make me?" He asked, feigning indignation. I rolled my eyes.

"You, a gentleman? I don't think I believe you."

He scoffed. "Knives, Emilie. Watch how you use those words of yours."

"Oh, hush," I reached up on my toes and ruffled his hair the way he used to when we were kids. He batted my hand away and looked up suddenly.

"Moony! Pads! Wormtail! There you are!"

I turned to see three boys approaching us. I cast a glance at James, who looked pleased to see them.

"What do you mean, there you are? We're the ones who've been looking for you! You disappeared. We thought you might have missed the train, mate," Sirius Black laughed; he hadn't noticed me yet.

"Nonsense. But anyway, I found her!" James replied cheerfully.

"Found… her?" The shortest seemed confused by my presence.

"I didn't mean to steal him from you. I'm Emilie, it's nice to finally meet you after hearing so many stories. You must be Peter, right?" The boy nodded.

I waited for him to shake my hand, but he made no move towards me. Seeming to sense his friend's misunderstanding, the russet haired boy stepped forward. "I'm Remus, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Remus." I replied, caught off guard by his manners. James only told me about their shenanigans, so it was hard to imagine them acting normal. "And of course, it's good to see you again, Sirius," I finished turning to face him.

I had just seen him a few weeks previous at a party. All of the major pureblood families were there; James and the Potters excluded. James' parents were apparently too supportive of blood mixing to be invited. I secretly applauded their courage, but I would never let on to Father.

He nodded in reply; he almost seemed wary of me. I didn't have time to consider this, though, as James opened the door to the nearest compartment with a slam. He took my trunk away from me again and tossed it into the overhead compartment, pulling me in behind him.

"Em, sit down; stay awhile. I want to hear about your summer! And how is Lisette? I see Pyxis looks well," He motioned to my owl. I laughed.

"He still hates me, but we get along well enough. He likes Lisette, though… and she's doing better, thanks for asking."

"Lisette?" Remus inquired.

"My sister. She's a first year, I explained. I saw Sirius' eyes furrow.

"I didn't know you had a sister," He said slowly, as though thinking through it.

"Her health is delicate, so she doesn't normally accompany Father and I. She's been better lately, though," I lied. I had no reason to explain any farther; I could tell Sirius wasn't convinced as his eyes bored into mine; I stared back evenly. He wouldn't dare ask anything more, would he?

James seemed slightly confused by my response; he knew Lisette was not ill. I had told him about Lisette's nightmares in one of the many letters we exchanges. Since our mother's death, Lisette had suffered bouts of withdrawal, akin to depression. Those had subsided, but even so, the nightmares continued. She described them as abstract fears and uncontrollable sensations of fear. It worried me that she was so afraid of anything, but it was more concerning that she felt this fear over nothing in particular.

"I didn't know you two knew each other," James said to Sirius and I.

"Our parents are close," I replied simply. I hadn't really spoken to Sirius without my father around, so it was hardly true for me to even say that he knew me.

"Really? I had no idea," He exchanged looks with Sirius, but I couldn't tell what it meant. Remus was watching as well, and his reaction was even stranger. He turned to me abruptly and changed the subject.

"So, which stories did James tell you about us, exactly?" Remus asked, suspiciously. I reluctantly tore my eyes from Sirius. "You said before that he told you about us, but…"

"Only the good ones," I assured him. "That story about Peeves and the water balloons? That was priceless. Oh! The fireworks in the common room - that was my favorite."

"Ah, that was a good one," James said, eyes sparkling. He seemed to have finished communicating with Sirius, who was now staring broodily out the window. I shrugged it off; he couldn't possibly know anything. I needed to stop being so paranoid.

I did, however, need to leave. James and his friends were very close, and I knew that most of them (namely Sirius) would not appreciate entertaining an outsider.

oOo

Sirius

oOo

"I should go find a compartment," The Knight girl said, standing. She stumbled a bit as the train turned - she caught herself mostly, but I reached out automatically to steady her. I noticed that as I gripped her rib cage, she gasped. I thought she was falling again, but she was just doubling over, almost as if she were in pain. I hadn't hurt her, I knew that much; I had been gentle despite the fact that she was an elitist snob.

"Em, are you alright?" James asked.

"Fine," She stood hastily as though nothing had happened. "I just lost my balance."

James pulled her back into the seat next to him. "Are you sure? It looked like you hurt yourself. Besides, you should stay."

"Oh no, no," She insisted. "I don't want to intrude. I think Lily and Alice might be expecting me, so, I'll get out of your hair," She smiled reassuringly.

"Don't be ridiculous. I haven't seen you in ages! Plus, your trunk is behind the others. It'd be a pain to take everything out, and then rearrange to put it all back… It's like a puzzle, you know. Nothing ever fits quite as well the second time. It's like that with my suitcase too. The same stuff gets packed up at the end of the year, but it just doesn't quite seem to work out as well. Anyway, what I'm saying is, you should just stay here," James ended his long, drawn out spiel with a cheery tone.

"But, James," Peter interrupted timidly, looking scared. He never had been comfortable around girls.

I really didn't want her to stay; I had very rarely spoken to her, but her family was very well respected by the Pureblood community. That meant that they were rich and cruel - surely, it would have rubbed off on his eldest daughter, who had always carried herself with the uptight dignity - arrogance, as some might call it - associated with a Pureblood name such as "Knight." Regulus was also very fond of her; that only added to my negative opinion of her. That was all I needed to know to be certain that she was not someone I wanted around.

It was the Pureblood way, after all; fake a smile, then stab anyone who you consider to be of lower status with a very expensive blade. Then marry your cousin.

My thoughts were interrupted as none other than Lily Evans and Alice Longbottom threw open the door. Alice squealed and launched herself at Emilie Knight. "You're here! You're really here!"

Emilie laughed, but the noise was strained. As Alice sat down next to her, I saw Emilie clutch at her side. No one else seemed to notice; James was gaping at Lily, and Remus was actually making conversation with her. Peter was too busy pulling at the hem of his shirt; a nervous habit he took up, especially around girls.

I blinked, and she had re-composed her smile and posture. How very Pureblood of her; maintaining a smile even while in pain.

"You know her, too?" Remus asked.

"I've known Alice for years. She, James, and I used to play together as children," Emilie offered. "Lily and I met over the summer through Alice."

Her family would never associate with blood-traitors like the Potters or Longbottoms. Then again, there wasn't much treachery until recent years, what with the rise in blood mixing and fal of Pureblood influence. On another note, I was surprised that she recognized me at all. I mostly only heard about her through Regulus, who had something of a crush on her. She had no reason to remember me.

And even more curious - why was she injured? Surely she didn't get up to much roughhousing with her ill sister. That was another incongruity - how had I never heard about her sister? Sure, she was younger, but our parents were ridiculously friendly. I'd been to her manor dozens of times before, and I'd never heard a word about her.

"Sirius, mate, give me a hand," James tossed a bag to me. Distracted for a moment, I stood on the bench and tucked it behind Peter's trunk, along with the rest of the girls' things. There was no sense in sending them away now; James was too busy alternating between ogling Lily and trying to make her laugh.

Evans was, of course, as cold as ever; meticulously keeping up her caustic replies. She, Remus, and Emilie, however, seemed to be having a titillating conversation about some muggle author. I tuned them out in favor of Alice's tale about a vampire she met on the Night Bus; that was much more entertaining than muggle chick lit.

It wasn't long before the train made its final stop at the Hogsmeade Station. James was still clinging to his newly discovered childhood friend, and I noticed with some surprise that Remus had taken to her as well. In general, Remus got along with everyone. It was odd, though, for him to speak so openly with anyone, even James, Peter, and me. He usually more reserved - he had opened up to Lily at some point, but for him to include this new girl was just too suspicious.

She was a Knight! What was he thinking? If she ever found out about his furry little problem…

I scoffed; Remus had no idea what he was getting himself into with that girl.

And so we made our way up to the castle; everyone fawning over the new girl while I fumed, marveling at the way she had so easily wrapped the others around her pretty little finger with her false smile.

oO End of Chapter One Oo


	2. Chapter Two

oOo  
Sirius Black

oOo

I awoke the next morning to the thump of a soft, feathery projectile and the target's muffled shout of surprise. I grinned over at the culprit, who was already dressed.

"You all do know that we need to be in class in about fifteen minutes, right?" Remus threatened passively from the door on his way out. I watched James grumble as he sat up. Hearing heavy breathing across the room, I crept over to Wormtail's bed and pulled back the curtain carefully. James took aim and flung the pillow right at his head, with all of the precision expected of a Quidditch prodigy. Wormtail squeaked and rolled over, right onto the floor. I howled with laughter, clutching my sides.

"Now that we're all awake, who's up for breakfast?" James smirked, already half-dressed.

I followed suit and it wasn't too much later that we were in the Great Hall. Magonagall was just passing out schedules.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black," She clucked sternly. "Cutting it a little close, are we?"

"We're fashionably on time, as always, Minnie," I insisted. She simply pushed my schedule into my hands and stalked off towards Peter, who had fallen behind.

"This looks dreadful," James said. Seeing that he was focused on his schedule, I looked down at my own. My OWL scores had been decent, so I was prepared to take more than my fair share of classes. I expected to be busy, but nothing like this; even just today, I had double Charms, double Potions, and Herbology all without a break until lunch.

Looking up, I realized that we were standing just a few feet away from Remus. I walked over and took a seat on the bench opposite him before I saw who he was with.

Emilie was across from him, next to me, and she was laughing with Remus about something they had both read over the summer- books, again. Honestly, didn't they have something more interesting to talk about? Even so, he looked like he was having fun, and she seemed equally interested. That concerned me.

Maybe Remus hadn't realized yet, but Emilie came from a very dark, twisted Pureblood family. She was bound to have adopted their beliefs, too; including their views of half-bloods and creatures… like werewolves. Was it really wise for him to make friends with her, knowing that she would turn on him if she found out?

"I thought you were in a hurry to get to class, Remus. Change your mind?" I interrupted, not disguising the steely edge in my voice.

"Oh, I guess you're right," Remus said, his smile faltering. "We should go. Remind me later, and I'll lend you that book, Emilie. You'll love it," he added over his shoulder as I dragged him and James towards the dungeons. She replied cheerfully, and I inwardly scoffed. What a fake.

"What was that?" I asked in a falsely calm voice, spinning Remus around.

"What was what?" James asked, looking between Remus and I, oblivious.

"Why were you talking to that Knight girl?"

"Do you mean Emilie? I saw her eating alone, so I joined her. She's a Gryffindor now; so is her sister. Anyway, we were just talking. Why?" He rambled as we walked towards our classroom.

"Because. She's a Knight," I repeated, exasperated.

"What does her last name have to do with anything?" Remus asked, genuinely confused. I groaned.

"Were you not listening yesterday? She knows me because our parents are like this," I motioned with intertwined fingers. "You know all about my parents, so is it really that hard to imagine what hers must be like?"

James was listening carefully, looking thoughtful. "You know, I wouldn't worry too much about that. I don't think Emilie's all that much like her Father."

"Look, you don't know all the twisted stuff our families get up to. I know you knew her when you were both kids and all, but we purebloods grow up fast. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about when I say that she can't possibly be unaffected," I insisted as we entered the classroom.

Peter looked scared. As well he should, I thought with mild satisfaction. James' forehead was wrinkled in thought, and Remus looked oddly aloof. As though he was determined not to listen to me. Ignoring him, I sat next to James and Peter and Remus took the table in front of us. Not long after, Lily and Alice walked in with Emilie. When she glanced our way, I glared pointedly at her. She didn't notice; she had made eye contact with Remus, who waved.

I didn't have a chance to interrupt, this time. Flitwick had entered the classroom and quickly started up the lesson. It was mostly boring introduction-to-NEWT-year type fluff, outlining the topics we would cover. It was nothing new, and I decided that my time would be better spent glaring at the back of Emilie Knight's head, because she had the nerve to sit across the aisle from Remus and catty corner to me.

She was obviously not paying attention. I caught her and Lily passing notes, though I couldn't quite make out what they were writing; what I did see didn't even look like English.

She even exchanged glances with Remus. It was only too obvious! She liked him, and if she got too close, he would have to tell her about his Furry Little Problem. And then all hell would break loose, because she would freak the fuck out.

Maybe James and I could work out how to erase memories. The ministry did it all the time, and I had to figure that it couldn't be any harder than becoming Animagi…

A sharp elbow to my ribs forced me from my plotting, and I followed James' pointing to see Snape looking at Lily. "Looking" was an understatement; it was a pitiful sight. He was staring with what I could only assume was intense longing and a tad bit of obsession. From what I had heard, after Snivellous called her a mudblood, she had cut all ties with him. Good Riddance, if you ask me.

The bell rang just as Flitwick wrapped up. I was so caught up with the Snape situation that I missed the signs that Remus was giving off. He was already talking to Knight when I remembered that I was supposed to distract him. James was still glaring at Snape.

Resigning myself to a loss this round, I clapped James on the shoulder. "It'll work out, mate. Evans can take care of herself."

He made no reply. I cut in and dragged Remus away again, to his irritation, and marched my distracted friends towards the dungeons for Potions with Slughorn.

I half- noted Peter's dejected figure shuffling off in the opposite direction, towards History of Magic. Poor bloke; he barely passed most of his OWLS, making it hard for him to even fill an NEWT schedule.

Meanwhile, we had descended the stairway by the Great Hall. The atmosphere changed abruptly from brisk morning autumn to the depressingly stagnant environment of the Dungeons. That was one of the things that never seemed to change; no matter what season the rest of the world was experiencing, the Dungeons were always cold and dark and wet.

Using one of many shortcuts, we arrived in Slughorn's classroom far too early. I sat in the back of the classroom. Remus, no doubt still angry about my interruptions earlier, deliberately avoided the spot next to me. James sat there, still oblivious to it all.

I sighed. This was going to be a very long Monday morning.

oOo

Remus Lupin

oOo

I was still fuming. Where did Sirius get off making assumptions based on someone's family? He compared his parents to hers, but didn't acknowledge the fact that he turned out alright. Was it so unreasonable to think that she had her own morals, too? Not all Purebloods were monsters.

James, who hadn't noticed anything about Sirius' bad attitude, was rambling on about the fact that there were only about fifteen of us in the Classroom. One Hufflepuff, and a handful of Ravenclaws plus an unusual number of Slytherins. We were pretty much confined to the corners of the room, clustered by House. Typical, but it only reminded me of what Sirius was saying earlier about pureblood discrimination.

My thoughts were interrupted by Slughorn, who entered loudly through a side door. "Welcome back! I see we've got a much smaller group this year, but that may be for the best. Are we missing anyone? Let's see… it seems we've got just about everyone except…" He broke off as the doors opened behind him. "Can I help you, dear?"

"Ah, yes. Sorry, I'm looking for Potions class? I seem to have gotten a bit turned around…" She admitted sheepishly.

"Well, you're in the right place!" He looked around and spotted the empty seat next to me. "There is a spot open by Mister Lupin. We've only just gotten started so you haven't missed much."

She glanced over to me as Slughorn mentioned my name. An amused smile graced her lips and I waved.

"We meet again," She murmured as she took the seat next to me.

"So it seems. Were you lost?" I asked, grinning at her abashed blush.

"I prefer the term 'temporarily misplaced,' but it's a simple matter of semantics, really," She winked and opened a notebook as Slughorn began dictating an ingredients list for our first assignment.

Despite the fact that Slughorn had skipped the typical introductions, he didn't seem to be in that much of a hurry when it came to actually starting to work on our potions. He had been rambling for a while when I felt Emilie shift towards me.

"So, is he going to stop anytime soon?" She asked.

"Not likely. It's the first day, so he'll be catching up with all of his 'Slug Club' members," I explained, motioning the quotation marks around 'Slug Club.'

"I'm sorry, 'Slug Club?'" She arched an eyebrow, and mimicked my quotation marks.

"It's like an Honors Society within Hogwarts, but it's more for those with rich, famous, or otherwise well-known relatives."

"I see. The Hogwarts Elite," She whispered with a grand gesture made small so that Slughorn would not notice. "Known as the Slug Club, though? That's just awful."

"Maybe so, but Slughorn sure knows how to throw a party," James interrupted from behind us.

"I'll give him that," I agreed. Addressing Emilie, I continued, "And also he's known to be pretty good about making connections for his club once they graduate."

"Well, it is a very small, magical world we live in," Emilie rolled her eyes.

"Exactly! I mean, what are the odds of us meeting on the train? Or being in the same year and house? Crazy! Aren't you glad, though? I mean, you already knew most of us. Sort of. And plus, you get to spend more time with me. That can only be a brightside, right?" James said cheerfully. I snorted.

"Ask me no questions, Potter," She murmured with a smirk at James. I nudged her as Slughorn approached us and she turned without missing a beat.

"Your surname is Knight, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Any relation to Henri Knight, the potions master of the 50's? Most well known for his work in antidotes?"

"Yes, I am, but I've never met him. He's something like my second cousin, I think."

"So you must be related to Charles Knight, yes?"

I was surprised by her almost violent reaction. Her elbow slipped on the edge of our shared desk, and knocked over an ink bottle in the process. The ink covered her notes, soaking through to the desk .I was pulling out my wand to offer help when she lifted the paper off the desk to reveal a perfectly clean surface. I was so distracted that I didn't even notice her clear the parchment. I saw Slughorn's eyes sparkle with delight; he was clearly impressed. I was, too; nonverbal magic was one thing, but not even using a wand?

"Sorry, Professor. You were saying? Charles Knight? He's my father." Emilie said, as though she hadn't reacted so strangely to her Father's name.

"Wonderful! Yes, excellent. He was a wonderful dueller in his day. I went to school with him, you know. Say, you wouldn't happen to know Norah Knight, the artist?"

"The name isn't familiar, no." She replied easily, seeming tense.

"Ah, that's too bad! I knew her ex-husband very well, he once introduced me at a Christmas Party long ago…" Slughorn continued to drop names, but I tuned him out. I was busy watching the way Emilie's hair fell in gentle waves past her shoulders. When she tilted her head to the right, I could see a freckle on the back of her neck that looked like a lopsided star.

"And how about you, Remus?"

"Sir?"

"Oh, you should go to the Halloween Party, too! It'll be fun," Emilie smiled, trying not to laugh. Clearly, she had noticed that I wasn't paying attention to Slughorn and had no clue what he was talking about.

"Yes… I think I will, Professor," I nodded slowly, uncertain. Beaming, Slughorn turned to James and Sirius.

"As always, you two troublemakers are invited as well. So long as you promise not to harass my guests again. Speaking of guests, the chaser from the Chudley Cannons will be there and…" Slughorn went off on another tangent, this time directed at James.

"Thanks," I whispered lowly to Emilie, who was still feigning interest in Slughorn's tirade. She smiled in acknowledgement as the bell rang. "I owe you one," I continued at normal volume as the noise level of the classroom rose.

"Well, if you're offering, could I ask where you're going next? It's just that I have no idea how I managed to get here," Emilie said sheepishly, "Never mind where the greenhouses are in relation to wherever 'here' happens to be."

"I'm actually heading to Herbology as well. C'mon, I'll walk you there."

"Thank you so much! This is perfect. Now that I'm thinking about it, that's three classes in a row," She commented. "We're on a roll."

I laughed and agreed, and before I knew it we were in Greenhouse Three, where Professor Sprout lingered on introductions for the entire class. Again, there were very few of us continuing at NEWT level, and once again, I tuned out in favor of observing other activity around me.

James and Sirius were messing with a mildly flustered Peter, and that was much more entertaining than hearing, once again, about the dangers of the various species of flora that were all around us. I noticed the Emilie seemed rather interested in whatever Professor Sprout was saying, especially about the healing properties of certain muggle fungi, though I couldn't imagine why.

After what seemed like no time at all, the lunch bell rang. Sirius seemed rather interested in one of the Ravenclaw girls who had just strutted past, so James and I had to reel him in. Before we got to the door, though, I glanced around. Emilie must have left ahead of us…

"Looking for someone?" James elbowed my side.

"Not really," I said quickly, though he grinned in a sly way that made me nervous.

When we finally got to the Great Hall for lunch, we took our usual place at the very back end of the Gryffindor table. Peter was rambling on about how he wasn't sure why no one else was taking History of Magic this year. James was trying to explain that he was surprised anyone would take a dull class like that when they didn't have to, but Peter stubbornly defended his schedule, and made it impossible for James to complete a sentence.

Looking over at Sirius, I saw him glaring moodily across the hall. I followed his gaze and found Emilie, Lily, and Alice. It was a little late to be just getting to lunch, so there weren't many seats open. I happened to notice that there were, in fact, three places open around us. I caught Lily's eye and waved them over.

Lily begrudgingly took the place next to James, and Alice next to her. That left Emilie to sit next to me.

"May I?" She asked, gesturing to the bench. I nodded and made room for her. "Was it this crowded at breakfast?" Emilie mused, pouring herself a cup of tea.

One of the girls replied, but I wasn't listening anymore. When Emilie reached across the table, her sleeve was pulled back just far enough to reveal a series of purplish blotches on her forearm. She seemed to catch me staring, and deliberately pulled the cuff back to her wrist.

"So, it looks like I have Astronomy next. Is anyone else headed in that direction? It's just that I have no idea where the tower is..."

"Sirius, aren't you taking Astronomy this year?" James said through a mouthful of his sandwich. I glanced back at Sirius, worried that he might do something rash.

He just grunted, though, and Emilie seemed to realize that he was less than thrilled to be escorting her to class; her smile faltered. I made to intervene, but Emilie beat me to it.

"Oh! I've just remembered, I need to go see Dumbledore. I'm sorry, I'll see you all later," She said quickly, glancing up at the front of the hall where the teachers usually sat.

James called his farewell after her as she moved quickly towards the doors. I rounded on Sirius.

"You could try to be a little less rude, you know," I snarled at him under my breath, turning so that Lily and Alice wouldn't hear.

"Oh yeah? Well I have no intention of befriending a flight risk like Emilie Knight. She's a pureblood, Remus. No matter how nice she pretends to be now, you don't know what she's hiding and I guarantee there is something. That's just what they do."

I narrowed my eyes. "And what does that make you, then, Sirius Black? Your blood is just as pure as hers. Are you hiding something?"

"No," He grumbled, sounding frustrated. "It's different. I've seen her with her father and she's one of them, Rem. I've never been able to blend with them, even when I wanted to. It's just not me. But Emilie Knight is either a very talented liar or she didn't have to lie - neither of which are good news. Mate, I'm only trying to warn you… if she ever learns about your furry little problem-" He began in an undertone that only I could make out, but I had no desire to hear the rest of his thought.

Pushing my plate away none-too-gently, I stood. Ignoring James' questions and the others surprise, I stalked away towards the library without explaining myself.

He was infuriating! I couldn't believe he would bring that up so casually. Even now, lycanthropy was the source of my greatest fears and darkest thoughts - as well as my constant paranoia. The fact that he would use it against me in an argument about a girl I had known for less than twenty-four hours was unbelievable.

As I tossed my bag onto a table in a hidden corner of the library, though, I had to consider some of what Sirius said. If she were to find out about my disease, and if she were to react as I expected people to react, I would never be able to live normally. In fact, if her family was as bad as Sirius had said, I would be lucky to avoid execution.

Resting my forehead on the desk, I breathed deeply to clear my mind. I was getting ahead of myself; she didn't have to know. I wouldn't let her get that close.

oOo End of Chapter Two oOo

AN: So, funny story. If you read chapter one before noon today, you might have noticed that I used Alice's married name, Longbottom. She is not married (yet). So, I made one up - "Chambers." I think I fixed it all, but if anyone happens to notice that mistake again, I'll get it fixed ASAP!

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter Three

oOo

Emilie Knight

oOo

"Everlasting gumball," I said, unable to contain my smile. Dumbledore was such an eccentric person. The gargoyles let me past, and I stepped carefully onto the moving spiral staircase; it made me sick, so I took them two at a time and arrived at Dumbledore's office in record time.

"Enter," Dumbledore called when I knocked. I did, and was again struck by his impressive collection of delicate, magical instruments. But as my gaze fell upon Professor Dumbledore, I was surprised to see a grave expression darkening his features. "Ah, Miss Knight!" He brightened considerably as he met my gaze. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was wondering if you had heard from my father, actually," I said, still distracted by his initial appearance.

"I have not. Should I be expecting to?" His gaze felt heavy; so heavy that I turned my head, pretending to be preoccupied with examining one of the many spindly objects around me.

"I suppose not, if he hasn't contacted you by now I'm sure it's nothing."

"Miss Knight, please sit down." Slightly panicked, I did as I was told. He noticed. "I simply wondered how your first few days have been. There's no need to look so afraid," His eyes crinkled as he smiled.

Ignoring his comment, I tried to reply normally. "Everything has been… good. Very good, actually. Lisette is thrilled to be here, too. She hasn't really ever practiced magic before, though I have taught her theory… we never used wands, so I'm not entirely sure how quickly I'll catch up, but…" I stopped, realizing I was rambling. He surely wasn't interested in something as trivial as my studies. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you again for allowing me to transfer. It's a wonderful opportunity for us both; I am indebted to you."

"My dear child, I only wish you had been able to accept the invitation sooner. You have always been welcome here."

I kept my expression guarded. I was wary of where the conversation was headed; if he asked why I had waited so long, I would have no choice but to tell him. Deciding quickly, I spoke up.

"Professor, if I may, has something happened? It's just that it seemed as though I interrupted you."

Professor Dumbledore grew solemn. "I wish I could comfort you with pleasant news, but alas, the time for ignoring the problem has come and gone. Miss Knight, have you been reading the papers?"

"I can't say I have," I replied, abashed.

"Then I must advise you to begin. But not just the Prophet, and unless you read through carefully, you may not pick up on the news to which I am referring. It's within the muggle news that you'll find something- just a trace, a whisper of something beginning to take root."

"Something, sir?" I inquired.

"It's hard to explain, Miss Knight, in a way that will not scare you."

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't scare easily."

"I see." The ghost of a smile touched his lips. "I'll be candid with you then. Strange things are happening in the muggle world, Miss Knight. Accidents, missing people, and strange lapses in memory; none of these are unheard of, but the manner and mystery behind the culprits are suspiciously reminiscent of magic."

"Wizards are behind it? But why-"

"I don't know any more than that for certain, Emilie." He stopped me mid question. "I trust that you will keep this discussion in mind, won't you?"

"I doubt I'll think of anything else, sir," I admitted, burning to ask more questions.

He smiled ruefully, "Nor will I, my dear. Nor will I. Now, I do believe you have a class to attend, and I don't think Professor Sinistra would appreciate it if I kept you."

Knowing I was dismissed, I stood.

"Of course. Thank you Professor, for your time. And for your thoughts; I have to say, that was an effective way to capture my attention."

"I daresay I'll be hearing from you again soon, then." I laughed; he knew me all too well, all too quickly. It didn't surprise me though; he was too perceptive from the start.

Minutes later, I found myself in the Astronomy Tower, which was not as hard to find as I had expected. Sirius was there, but I made sure to sit far enough away that I wouldn't have to talk to him. Class was uneventful, and I found myself only half listening to Professor Sinistra's spiel about comets. She talked about things that had been covered in OWL years, like moon phases and constellations, that we would need to review before next class. I dutifully noted down the assignments, but was hardly paying attention.

What Dumbledore said had my mind reeling- a dark undertone had shadowed the entire conversation; he had been so mysterious about it. He clearly wanted my interest, so why had he bothered being so mysterious? He could have just told me.

But, I knew there was more than just news. Otherwise, he would have said something specific. He wanted me to look for the information myself; he wanted me involved. Why would that be? What would that accomplish?

My musings were interrupted by the class bell. I stood with the rest of my classmates, though my mind was still elsewhere. This was unfortunate, as I stepped into the aisle at the very same moment that none other than Sirius Black passed me. That is, would have passed me; as it was, we collided in a tangle of limbs and flying textbooks; I personally suffered a gash across the forehead, and I was fairly certain his wrist might have broken from the awkward angle he held it out.

"Knight," Sirius acknowledged curtly as our eyes met and he pulled himself to his feet.

"Black," I replied. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. I wasn't paying attention." His only reply was a grumble.

We silently recollected our belongings, now the only people left in the tower. I had noticed his obvious distaste for me, and I had no wish to exasperate it. Part of me wondered why he was so abrasive, but most of me didn't really care. He was James' friend, so I would have to get along with him or distance myself from James.

I sighed, knowing that would never do; we had been friends for so long, it would be a shame to grow apart now that we were finally able to see each other again.

oOo

Sirius Black

oOo

"You're bleeding. You should get that checked out." I offered; she probably didn't know where the hospital wing was, either. It was frustrating, but as much as I hated her, I couldn't just let an injured girl stagger around the castle… I resigned myself to the task.

"Oh yeah? How's your wrist?" She shot back, smirking. So she had noticed - it throbbed when I tried to move it and prove her wrong.

"It's nothing. I'll live."

I rolled my eyes, using a compact mirror to examine my wound. "I can fix it for you, if you want."

"You? Heal broken bones? Ha!" I barked. As if I would let a Knight near me with a wand. She was mad.

Emilie raised an eyebrow at me. "I wouldn't trust me with a wand either; I've never used one."

"Then what are you doing in NEWTs? You'll never catch up in one year," I said, almost in spite of myself. I was torn between my curiosity and my desire to ignore her as thoroughly as possible - curiosity was winning out. I mean, come on; not being able to use a wand? That was child's play.

She huffed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. "Black, you've got you're facts all wrong. I've never needed a wand…" Emilie trailed off as she traced the cut on her head with two fingers, letting it knit shut. She didn't seem to feel any pain. "See?"

I opened my mouth; once, twice, and a third time, always just to snap it shut again. I shook my head like a dog to clear my thoughts while she restrained from laughing at my speechlessness.

"I can fix your arm," She repeated her offer. I was still dubious; she seemed to notice as she added, "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little bone-mending pain."

It was my turn to roll my eyes. If she was going to be like that…

I offered up my arm without any further display of hesitance, watching closely as she lightly pressed on the inside of my wrist. She seemed to be searching for a fracture. Halting at a point just above my thumb joint, I grunted as pain shot up my arm.

It was odd; the way she halted at the exact moment I felt pain, before I could even react.

She shot me a warning look so that I wouldn't move and murmured a spell. I strained to catch her words, but could not make out anything. She tightened her grip for a moment as my arm caught fire; it was nothing compared to the agony of Pomfrey's mending potions - they were absolutely brutal.

It was over in moments. I stretched it out; there was some lingering sensation, but otherwise, it was perfectly fine. "I owe you one, Knight."

She smiled. "You should be careful with your promises, Black. I might actually take you up on that one."

I wasn't entirely sure what to make of her statement. Was she joking? Was it some kind of threat?

"Don't think too hard. I didn't mean anything by it, Sirius." She was laughing at me again. Suddenly recovering from my awe at her healing skills, I was furious.I wasn't able to fire back, though, as James bounded into the classroom.

"Emilie! Come to dinner with me!" He said, seeming rather gleeful. He then saw that we were both on floor. "What happened here? Are you alright?"

"We're both fine, James. Just an accident. Sorry again, Sirius," She added as she shouldered her bag. "James, I'll meet you in the common room later. I have to ask McGonagall a question about the essay I'm writing," she called as she set off down the stairwell.

When her footsteps were far enough away, I turned on James. "She's a nightmare!"

He tapped his foot patiently. "She's a bit clumsy, yes, but I wouldn't go so far as to say -"

"No, no. She can do magic /without a wand/. James, if she is as bad as we think -

"As bad as /you/ think, you mean." I ignored his comment and continued.

"If she is, we wouldn't be a match for her. She can heal injuries, mate. That's advanced stuff." There was something odd in James' eyes as I spoke. He looked concerned, or sad. I couldn't tell - that was unusual, I normally read him like a book. "What is it?"

"She's a very talented witch, Sirius. You're right, we would never be a match for her, but not for the reasons you might expect. C'mon, let's go find Remus and Peter. They're probably wondering where we've gotten off to."

"Don't change the subject-" I started, but he held up a hand, all solemn.

"Drop it, Sirius. I mean it. You're my best mate, but Emilie is like family to me. I don't want to hear you complain about her anymore. If you want to bash her family name, go find Snivelous and his little pureblood buddies."

I was stunned. I had never heard James say anything so harsh to me; the worst part was that he seemed completely serious as he said it - no hint of sarcasm, no joking tone. It was almost as though he would actually choose her over me.

I followed him out, and we walked in tense silence. First Remus, now James… what was it about that girl that made her so special? How had she split us up so effectively so soon? There was something odd about her transfer, too. Hogwarts students left, sure, but there were never new students after first or second year.

I grimaced as we reached the portrait hole; I'd had enough. I was going to figure out what Little Miss Knight was hiding; she was too big of a risk to leave unchecked.

oOo End of Chapter Three oOo

Author's Note: So, quick chapter today. My fingers are crossed for a snow day tomorrow; Im' currently drowning in applied chemistry. I know more about copper right now than I ever wanted to know.

Shout out to everyone who favorited/followed/ OL&L! I was super stoked to see that a few of you actually liked this.

Peace!


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